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The USDOE Consults with the Arts Education Field on NCLB
Okay, we’re not using the name NCLB anymore, and you might think this is a bait and switch, but if I used its formal name, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), you might not know what this blog is all about. A couple of weeks ago I blogged about an invitation that was extended…
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Reflections on the Possible Closing of My High School: Beach Channel High School
It makes for a really great chest-beating sound-bite: “we just closed another low performing school!” It’s all the rage in New York City, at the USDOE, and at many other urban school districts: School Turnaround. And, although the term denotes a number of possible strategies, it almost always connotes the closing of a school. And,…
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The Sweet Spot for Schools and Cultural Organzations
I once had a colleague complain to me about the disparities in quality among those organizations providing services to schools. Some programs were great; others were terrible. Some artists where thoughtfully developed and supported to work in schools; others were simply booked into the gig. Some organizations spent a great deal of time on reflective…
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Oh NCLB, Where Art Thou?
On January 20th, the USDOE is hosting an information session for arts education constituents concerning the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), otherwise known during the Bush administration as No Child Left Behind. In regards to the arts, I know no one who holds the view that NCLB was anything but bad…
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What Will New York State’s Race to the Top Application Look Like?
Recently, the New York State Department of Education (NYSED) circulated a Public Communication and Policy Recommendations Summary for its Race to the Top (RttT) grant proposal to the nearly 700 school districts throughout New York State. In order to participate, each district is required to sign a Memorandum of Understanding in support of the application.…
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The Counter-Intuition of Advocacy
Consider these three points: 1. The school district leader says that the overall school budget is increasing each year, and not to worry. And yes, it’s true: more money was allocated to education in the city budget. 2. The existence of generally supportive school district officials and government leads to increased arts budgets and administrative…
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Jane Remer’s Cliffnotes: When Teachers Teach Artists: Changing the Paradigm and Balancing the Equation
Let’s welcome back Jane Remer, Dewey21C’s regular guest blogger. She’s posted a wonderful entry that touches upon the human details of what makes for good professional development of teaching artists, not to mention teachers, administrators, and other school personnel. To read Jane’s previous entries, all you have to do is search using the little box…
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US Secretary of Education Is Convinced that Arts Education Raises HS Graduation Rates
”I’m convinced when students are engaged in the arts, graduation rates go up, dropout rates go down,” Duncan said. One thing we do know about graduation rates and arts education in New York City public schools, is that the schools that offer more arts have higher rates of graduation. It’s in this report. And, according…
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Final USDOE Race to the Top Guidelines Released: Arts Education an Outlier
I will try hard to be positive and productive with this blog. I promise. Okay, the long awaited Race to the Top final guidelines have been released. At the bottom of this entry I will provide a set of the links to the Executive Summary, full guidelines, press release, etc. First, let’s address the question:…
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Looking For a Few Good Panelists…
Peer reviewers to be exact. And, hey, it’s not me that’s looking, but it’s the USDOE. That’s right the USDOE is looking for peer reviewers for it’s Race to the Top Fund. So, if you have “experience providing thoughtful, objective, constructive, and timely oral and written feedback to applicants and/or organizations on successes and opportunities…